Is a photo booth worth it? Honest pros and cons
We rent out photo booths, so take this with a pinch of salt. But a photo booth genuinely does not suit every event, and there is nothing to gain from pretending otherwise. Here is as honest a rundown as we can give of when it is worth the money and when it is not.
What people actually love about it
The thing that leaves the biggest impression is not the tech but the little ritual: guests press the button, wait for the strip to feed out, then stand there laughing at the photos together. Everyone walks away with something physical in hand. The strip ends up on the fridge, in a wallet, or taped into the guest book next to a message.
At most parties the booth becomes a gathering point. A small queue almost always forms, and that is often where the most relaxed conversations happen — between guests who otherwise would not have spoken. It works for every age; grandma and the six-year-old take turns with the same props.
And it captures a different kind of photo than the photographer does. The photographer takes the beautiful, arranged moments. The booth catches the silly, unplanned ones — the pulled faces, the group hugs, the whole gang squeezed into one frame. Many say afterwards that those are the photos they end up looking at most.
When it is not worth it
A photo booth pays off on volume. If you are twelve people at a dinner, everyone has barely had a turn before the novelty wears off, and the cost per guest is high. A polaroid camera on the table often does the same job for a fraction of the price.
If your budget is genuinely tight and you have to choose between a booth and something that actually shapes the evening — more food, better drink, live music — pick the other thing first. A photo booth is a nice extra, not a foundation.
Practicalities set limits too. Some venues have neither the space nor a power outlet where people actually move, and a booth tucked into a far corner rarely gets used. And if your crowd is genuinely reserved by nature, props and a flash can feel more intrusive than fun — though in our experience more people loosen up than you would expect once the queue gets going.
The objections, answered honestly
"It feels gimmicky and forced." It can, if it is pushed on people. But a booth is entirely optional — it just stands there, and whoever wants to uses it. No host chases guests over to it. That is precisely why it feels organic: people go when they feel like it.
"It is too expensive." That depends on how you count. A flat 5,000 kr across a hundred guests is 50 kr per person for entertainment all evening plus a printed keepsake each. Compare that with the per-guest cost of everything else that evening, and the booth often lands among the cheapest lines — and the only one everyone takes home.
"We will just do it ourselves." You absolutely can, and for smaller, laid-back parties that is often the right call. The difference is the prints on the spot, someone else handling it, and it simply working all evening. We have a separate guide on doing it yourself versus hiring if you want to weigh the two.
Our honest verdict
For weddings and larger parties, say fifty guests and up, a photo booth is almost always worth it. You get a gathering point that entertains all evening, photos you would never have gotten otherwise, and a small keepsake in the hand of everyone who was there.
For small, intimate gatherings the honest answer is no as often as yes. The money can do more good elsewhere, and a simple camera on the table is plenty. If you are unsure which category your event falls into, we are happy to help you work it out — even if the answer is that you do not need us.
At most weddings, yes. With fifty guests or more the cost per person is low, and the booth tends to become the gathering point of the evening. Guests get a printed keepsake and you get photos the photographer never would have caught.
For very small gatherings, a very tight budget, or venues with no space or power where people actually move. In those cases the money usually does more good elsewhere, and a simple camera on the table is enough.
Yes. At events of a reasonable size a queue forming is the rule rather than the exception. Because it is entirely optional, people go of their own accord, and it tends to take off by itself the moment the first strips feed out.
Often not. If you are a handful of people the novelty wears off quickly and the cost per guest is high. A polaroid camera on the table usually does the same job for a fraction of the price.
Does it fit your event?
Tell us about your day and we will say honestly whether a photo booth is worth it for you. We get back to you within 24 hours.